1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a computer readable recording medium, a game progress control program, a game server, and a game progress control method.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the playing of competitive games such as tennis, soccer, baseball and the like on the monitors of programmed computers has been widely practiced. The content of the competition varies; however, in almost all of these games, a player (also referred to as a game player) ordinarily controls the actions of a player character using an operating unit, and the player is given a score on the basis of how appropriately the player character acts with respect to a ball put into play by the computer device or by a competitor character operated by a competitor. For example, in the case of a baseball game, the basis of the operation is how the pitcher character constituting the player character pitches the ball so that the ball is not hit by the batter character constituting the competitor character; as a result, the criterion for scoring is the question of whether or not the ball is hit by the batter character.
The content of the operations performed by the player in this case comprises mainly the determination of the type of ball pitched by the pitcher character, the speed of the ball, the course of the pitch and the like. Ordinarily, an operating unit connected to the computer device proper is used in order to realize such operations. This operating unit is generally arranged so that arbitrary coordinate positions in two dimensions are specified by detecting the amounts of displacement of the player's operation in the direction of the X coordinate and the direction of the Y coordinate, and the specified coordinate positions are transmitted to the computer device proper. The course of the pitch and the like are realized by specifying such coordinate positions. Furthermore, the system is arranged so that timing signals are generated by pressing a switch at arbitrary points in time, and these timing signals are transmitted to the computer device proper. The timing of the initiation of the pitching motion is determined by such timing signals.
Computer devices can be divided into two main categories, i. e., computer devices specifically devised for game use, such as game-dedicated devices, and computer devices that can be used in a broad range of applications, such as personal computers. In the case of the former devices, an analog joystick or digital joystick, or a controller mounting such joysticks, is used as the operating unit. In an analog joystick, sensors that output the X coordinate and Y coordinate as analog values are disposed in the base end part of a projecting body of a specified size. By tilting this projecting body with the fingers, the player can designate arbitrary coordinate positions in a two-dimensional region in accordance with the amount of inclination. Furthermore, in the case of digital joysticks, cross-shape keys which have sensors (or switches) that are used to produce coordinates in the upward, downward, left and right directions constitutes the mainstream; in this case, the player can designate arbitrary coordinate positions in a two-dimensional region by continuing to press one cross-shape key, or by continuing to press two cross-shape keys simultaneously.
On the other hand, a pointing device such as a mouse, portable tracking ball, portable slide pad or the like is generally used as the operating unit of a personal computer. Among these pointing devices, both a mouse and a portable tracking ball have a pair of sensors which detect the respective amounts of displacement of the X coordinate and the Y coordinate, and a ball body which is used to drive both sensors simultaneously; these devices are arranged so that coordinate positions in a two-dimensional region can be designated by the player rolling the ball body in the target direction, either directly with the hand or indirectly via a disk surface. A slide pad has a contact position for human fingers and a sensor, which detects the direction of movement and amount of movement; such a slide pad is arranged so that arbitrary coordinate positions in a two-dimensional region can be designated on the basis of the detection results of the sensor. In principle, a combination with a mouse or the like can be realized by a digital method.
The main difference between the operating unit of a game-dedicated device and that of a personal computer lies in the handling of the pointer. Specifically, in the case of the operating unit of a game-dedicated device, data corresponding to the pointer (hereafter referred to as a “virtual pointer”) is present inside the device. Since this virtual pointer is displaced as long as the player continues to press the projecting body or cross-shape keys, the virtual pointer is a tool that is superior to a mouse or the like in terms of operability in cases where the pointer is merely displaced by an approximate amount in the desired direction and quickly returned to the home position. However, data that is input by means of a joystick is only data that relates to the direction of displacement; the amount of displacement of the virtual pointer depends exclusively on the input time. On the other hand, data that is input by means of a mouse or the like is data that relates to the direction of displacement and amount of displacement, so that the direction of displacement and amount of displacement of the pointer can be input in a single operation regardless of the length of the input time. Accordingly, in the case of application to games which require displacement of the pointer to random positions at a high speed, and subsequent actions at the displaced position, it may be said that a mouse or the like is superior to the respective joysticks.
Currently, game-dedicated devices are more the mainstream of computer devices used for games than personal computers, and game programs also have a content that envisions operation by the operating unit of a game-dedicated device. In the case of game-dedicated devices, however, it is difficult to realize a game, which requires accurate displacement of the pointer to random positions at a high speed and subsequent actions at the displaced position as described above. Furthermore, in the case of game-dedicated devices, only the person who purchases the device can play the game; this hinders the realization of a game that allows wide participation by numerous persons. On the other hand, all-purpose computer devices such as personal computers have a wide user stratum, and also allow a wider range of utilization than game-dedicated devices in terms of communications infrastructure such as networks.